Big Bling: the world’s most expensive jewellery

All about the price tag
We all treat ourselves from time to time and might even splurge on the occasional diamond, because they are, after all, a girl’s best friend.

But what if money were no object? What if our occasional splurge didn’t come with the inevitable pang of guilt?

Jewellery World have put together a fascinating infographic about the 12 most valuable pieces of jewellery in the world. Packed with facts about these extravagant pieces it’s definitely worth a look, but be prepared, it could cause outbreaks of envy.

With a stunning Ceylon sapphire and diamonds and worn by both Princess Diana and Kate Middleton, it’s the world’s most recognisable engagement ring. It’s now worth $0.5m but did you know that it was neither custom-made nor unique? In fact it was bought off the shelf in 1981 for just £28,000. OK, not exactly cheap, but the jewellery just goes up in value from there.

Take the ‘Heart of the Ocean’, the necklace we all swooned over when Kate Winslet wore it in ‘Titanic’, (and didn’t you cry inside a little when it was dropped into the sea?) The prop in the film was made from cubic zirconia, but a replica modelled on the fictional jewel is a genuine heart-shaped Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 103 diamonds and is worth $17m – more than double what the actual ship cost to build in 1909. And before you Google ‘submarine hire’, it was actually last seen on Celine Dion at the 1998 Oscars.

Another highlight on the list is the mysterious Graff Pink ring, featuring a pretty pink diamond so perfect it’s among the top two per cent in the world, but its origin and owner are unknown.

Topping the chart of the world’s most valuable jewellery is a piece that is actually priceless. The Imperial State Crown owned by the Royal Family is crafted with a staggering 11 emeralds, five rubies, 17 sapphires, 273 pearls and 2,868 diamonds. This combined with its inextricable link with British history means the crown cannot be valued.

Without doubt it’s fun to admire these beautiful pieces and discover the history behind them, but rather than add them to your lottery wish-list, take another look at your own collection.

The jewellery on this list may be affordable only to the world’s wealthiest one per cent, but it’s their historical and personal associations that give them real value.

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